San Bernardino County Helps Form Water and Power Authority: New Joint Powers Body to Finance Inland Empire Water and Energy Projects
San Bernardino County, California, and the Fenner Gap Mutual Water Company have formed the San Bernardino Water and Power Authority under California's Joint Exercise of Powers Act to provide low-cost financing for water and energy infrastructure across the Inland Empire. The county Board of Supervisors voted to form the authority on April 21, and the new body was publicly announced on October 19.
The authority held its first meeting on October 5 and elected Steve Elie, president of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) board, as its president. IEUA formally joined on September 2, and the board of the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority voted on September 17 to express its intent to join. Other board members include Dakota Higgins, representing Supervisor Paul Cook as interim secretary; Supervisor Curt Hagman; and Barbara Lloyd of Fenner Gap, serving as treasurer.
The authority plans to use revenue bonds and state and federal funding to finance water supply, treatment, water reclamation, stormwater capture, conveyance, groundwater storage, and related energy projects, with the goal of lowering water and energy costs for households and businesses and reducing reliance on imported water. Board of Supervisors Chair Dawn Rowe said a fragmented approach no longer works and that no single agency can shoulder the needed investment alone. Fenner Gap President Susan Kennedy said the authority will build on the expertise its members already have.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图为位于圣贝纳迪诺县境内的 Seven Oaks Dam（资料图）。Michael Nevins 摄，美国陆军工程兵团，公共领域。 | Seven Oaks Dam in San Bernardino County (file photo). Photo by Michael Nevins, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain.
